Three Years Later, My Sabbatical Continues to Teach Me Things.

Monthly Archives: December 2013

We professors tend to yap our fool heads off about any number of things. Everyone’s an expert! In journalism education circles, this seems particularly true when it comes to technology.

In higher education, there is a lot of buzz about the pros and cons of massively open online courses. Everyone seems to have an opinion—even if they have absolutely no idea how MOOCs work. (I just read an article published in an alumni magazine, for example, that argued a MOOC is bad because it isn’t as good as a 16-student seminar.) So, as I’ve been planning My Year Away, I decided I will need to experience a MOOC for myself. But, turns out that I got too curious and didn’t want to wait until my sabbatical began.

I’m pleased to report that I just completed my first MOOC (successfully, no less!), a statistics class from Professor Andy Conway at Princeton University. My analysis? I loved it! It was challenging, fun, and a lot of work (I typically put in 10 hours/week on it.)

But here’s what surprised me most of all. It felt like a real class. Even though 100,000 students from around the world were my classmates (I have no idea how many dropped it, but according to the research, probably about 95,000), it felt like a real class. I stressed out over the assignments, I had to ask fellow students for help, I got behind at times. And perhaps what surprised me most of all was how intimate the whole experience felt.

I walked away from the class with a completely different attitude about distributed education models. I was skeptical—and now I’m intrigued.

Recently, a number of people have written about the disappointing realization that over 80% of the people who sign up for MOOCs already have a college degree. Apparently, many people have decided that MOOCs should be for the financially disadvantaged only—as a way to get a college education that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to achieve. (I’m not sure where Bill Gates falls into this since he is a college drop out, but clearly brilliant; Gates says that he has taken several MOOCs.) Some argue that because most MOOC students have a college degree already, MOOCs are a bust.

In my statistics class (if the comments on the forum were representative) then this class, too, was filled with college graduates—many with multiple graduate degrees. But, I don’t think this makes the grand MOOC experiment a failure. What this class has done for me (besides helping me brush up on my statistics) includes giving me:

1.A greater appreciation for distributed education models. I used to think face-to-face was always the best way to share knowledge. Now I’m thinking that variety provides an additional layer of acquiring knowledge. I’m also looking outward from my campus more. I’m thinking about ways we can make more of our classes available to more students in South Carolina (and maybe outside the state, too).

2.Improved knowledge, which I have to believe, will make me a better teacher and scholar. Ultimately, that should also benefit my students. I know more now than I did 12 weeks ago. And I realize that I can do more to increase my knowledge–within in my own field, but also outside my typical scholarly boundaries.

3.Compassion for those who struggle with minimal technical access. My forum stats colleagues inspired me as I read about some of their struggles—and determination to succeed even though they lived in locations with sporadic internet connections and only had access to computers that were generations older than mine.

I love the idea that MOOCs could help students earn an undergraduate degree. But until a demand grows for more MOOC courses like English 101, Algebra, Introductory to Rhetoric, etc. rather than the seriously cool courses that are currently available, it’s not going to happen. But, to me, that doesn’t mean that the MOOC experiment is a colossal failure.

Sure, we have a long way to go before MOOCs can solve any kind of world-wide education gap between high-resourced people and those with minimal resources. But rather than pooh-pooh the whole shebang, why not get into the middle of it and see what all the scuttlebutt is about.

Take a class. It’s stressful, but a blast. I’m already signed up for another statistics class that starts in February, this time from a professor at Duke. I can already tell that my brain is gearing up for a successful Year Away. I have no idea how many students have signed up for the class that starts in February (about 160 days before My Year Away starts), but I’m sure there is room for one more. Anybody want to join me?

First, you should know that I still have 199 days until I start My Year Away. But, I want to be ready on Day One. This is a privilege and I don’t want to blow it.

I have been an academic for over 20 years. After a less-than-stellar career in advertising (I was a copywriter who loved to write but always wishing I was writing something else), I decided to head to graduate school (University of Georgia) and get a PhD so I could become a college professor.

My academic trek is not unusual. First stop: Kansas State University, five years (loved it; not crazy about living in Kansas). Second stop: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, eight years (loved it; loved living in Chapel Hill; loved getting tenure). Third stop, Middle Tennessee State University, three years (didn’t love it; learned a lot about administration). Fourth stop, University of South Carolina, six years and counting (love it most of the time).

I know I am fortunate. I mean, really, what other job allows you to quit your job, keep your job, and take a year off from your job (with a salary!) all at the same time! I am thankful to have a wonderful academic position at a wonderful university. I do not take it for granted.

Here’s what I’m doing during the 199 days before My Year Away.

1.I’m trying to get more comfortable in the world of social media. I’m getting more active, learning more, understanding more, participating more. (Starting this blog is one concrete demonstration that I’m committed!)

2.I’m preparing for a return to the all-steam-ahead attitude of an active researcher. I’ve started a couple of research projects with current colleagues, former colleagues, and former graduate students.

3.I’m trying to improve my research skills. For example, I am in my last week of my first Coursera MOOC, a statistics class with 100,000 of my closest stats friends. I have learned a ton—and I have totally changed my attitude about distributed learning.

4.I’m working on my teaching. I’m thinking about the kinds of classes I could teach in the future and taking steps now to get my head back into full-time teaching. Next semester, in addition to the doctoral seminar that I teach, I’m taking on a one-credit new course called “Historical Milestones in Advertising History.” And I’m teaching three independent studies on different topics with undergraduates.

I’m still working as a full-time administrator, heading up the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of South Carolina. I have one more semester as an administrator and I plan to stay the course until June 30, 2014.

Then My Year Away begins.

I’d love to take you on the adventure with me. For the next post, I’ll write about some things I’m thinking of doing during My Year Away. I’m hoping for a balance of hard-core research/writing and travels/musing. If you have ideas, let me know!